200,000 send out anti-poverty message in Scotland
Hundreds of thousands of people joined hands to form a human band around Scotland’s capital today in protest at world poverty.
Organisers claimed 200,000 protesters – twice as many as had been expected - took to the streets of Edinburgh for the Make Poverty History demonstration.
The protest was aimed at putting pressure on G8 leaders meeting at Gleneagles next week.
People from around the world descended on Edinburgh for the demo, thought to be the biggest Scotland has ever seen.
Despite fears of violence, Lothian and Borders Police, who had mounted a massive security operation, said the day was largely trouble free.
There was one flashpoint near the city centre when a group of around 60 black-clad protesters were penned into a street by officers after displaying “aggressive behaviour”.
At 3pm the marchers, many dressed in white, stopped and held hands for a minute’s silence, forming a giant circle round the city centre.
The white band is the symbol of the Make Poverty History campaign.
Scotland’s First Minister Jack McConnell, who watched the march as it passed onto Princes Street, said: “This is fantastic, it is a great carnival atmosphere and it is a message of hope.”
A huge official Make Poverty History banner hung from the famous castle which overlooks the city centre.
The march through the city streets began in bright sunshine at 12.15pm led by celebrities and campaigners including pop star Daniel Bedingfield, actor Pete Postlethwaite, Bianca Jagger, television presenter Diane Louise Jordan and multi-millionaire businessman Tom Farmer.
Cardinal Keith O’Brien, leader of Scotland’s Catholic church, his English counterpart Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, and the Rev David Lacy, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland also took part.
Trumpets and whistles competed with the sound of African drums as the noisy march made its way through the city centre.
Bystanders waved rainbow flags of peace while socialists with red flags chanted “murder, war, poverty, hate, we say shut down G8”.
Among those at the head of the march was Zimbabwean campaigner Amadou Kanoute.
He said: “We are at the front here today and that is the right place because Africa has to be put at the front.
“It makes me feel so good to see the solidarity in the people here today.”
Police helicopters flew overhead to keep an eye on the protest, while shopkeepers and cafe workers also recorded the day using their mobile camera phones.
Despite reassurances from authorities that today’s event would pass off peacefully, many shops had boarded up windows in Princes Street, one of Britain’s most famous shopping thoroughfares.
A heavy police presence was in place at key locations including the Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, both protected by steel fencing.
In the only significant incident a group of protesters wearing black clothing and bandanas, were kept in Buccleuch Street following a minor disturbance.
A Lothian and Borders police spokeswoman said: “There was a minor incident on Buccleuch Street off the main march route at around 2.15pm when a group of about 60 people were displaying aggressive behaviour.
“Police were concerned and they moved the group into Buccleuch Street away from the march area.
“We are not aware of any arrests and we have to praise in general demonstrators for their good nature. There’s been a real carnival atmosphere.”
Celebrities had rubbed shoulders with church leaders and aid workers at a rally on the Meadows ahead of the march.
Organisers claimed that the turnout had exceeded 200,000.
A spokesman said: “Make Poverty History are absolutely delighted with this, to see so many people come to show that they really care.
“We believe more than 200,000 people have been at our rally and march.”
The crowds were welcomed to the event by Edinburgh’s First Citizen, Lord Provost LesleyHinds.
“We will be able to tell our children and grandchildren that we have made a difference on poverty,” she told the throng.
Before launching into song with her band Texas, singer Sharleen Spiteri told the crowd: “You are pretty unbelievable showing up today – I feel very proud to be here.”
Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal, who played Che Guevara in the Motorcycle Diaries, later told the crowd: “We have to remember we can make a big change by bringing back politics where it belongs – to us, the people.”
Comedian and actor Eddie Izzard, who introduced acts on stage, said: “This is the centre of the universe.
“There are other things going on today apparently but this is where it is really happening.”
Singer Daniel Bedingfield, who was near the front of the procession through the city, said: “There’s no way to know what this is going to do but I really hope it does change things, because if this cannot make a difference how the heck are you, as an individual person, supposed to make a difference.”
Cardinal O’Brien read out a message from Pope Benedict XVI calling on people in the richest countries to demand action on poverty.
“People from the world’s richest countries should be prepared to accept the burden of debt reduction for heavily indebted poor countries and should urge their leaders to fulfil the pledges made to reduce world poverty especially in Africa by the year 2015,” said the newly elected Pontiff.
Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster told the demonstrators they were part of “a moral awakening.
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